wrestling / TV Reports
Sambus’ AEW Collision Review 06.08.24
Image Credit: AEW
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Hello Team 411! Hope you’re all well this week. Theo Sambus here for your regularly scheduled Saturday night dose of AEW Collision – and with FTR facing Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta in tag team action, a barnburner could be just around the corner. That is a very enticing matchup on paper, and we know the combo of FTR against Claudio/Mox brings magic, so can Yuta sub into the equation and do the same?
Elsewhere we have Orange Cassidy vs Kyle O’Reilly, Toni Storm vs Lady Frost, Kris Statlander vs Robyn Renegade, and Daniel Garcia vs Tate Mayfairs…all of which could be decent if given time. So without further ado, let’s head to the MAC and see what else AEW has in store for us tonight…
Location: Council Bluffs, IA
Venue: Mid-America Center
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness & Tony Schiavone
The opening credits roll and we head to ringside, where Bobby Cruise introduces the Blackpool Combat Club ready for our opening tag team contest!
Match One: Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)
Cash and Yuta start this out in a battle of Wheelers. They trade arm drags and come to a standoff. Tags to Dax and Claudio and the crowd make a joke about the two bald men facing off, with Claudio and Dax playing up to it. Claudio gets a vicious uppercut on Dax in the ropes, who rolls to the outside to take a breather. Back in the ring, Dax gives him a receipt with a big chop to the chest. They get into a chop war, but a body slam from Castagnoli cuts that off, following up with the stalling double stomp and a tag to Yuta. They tee off on each other with more chops, body slam and a senton by Yuta for a 2 count.
Yuta biels Dax out of the corner. Yikes, Dax goes to flapjack Yuta across the top rope, slightly misjudged the distance, Yuta seemingly fell on his face there. Cash tags in, fires Yuta up with more chops (and Yuta is OK fortunately), but Cash whips off a back suplex for 2. Dax back in, FTR double team Yuta with a slingshot into the bottom rope, gets a 2 count. Yuta makes the tag to Claudio, who lays into Dax with multiple uppercuts and takes both members of FTR down with a big boot. Cover on Dax, 1, 2, no. Castagnoli grabs the leg, thinking Giant Swing, but Cash Wheeler cuts it out. Claudio heads to the floor but runs into a boot from Dax. Yuta dives to take out Dax, Claudio cuts off Cash on the suicide dive with an uppercut!
Castagnoli back in for the Swing, Cash with a victory roll, no Claudio gets a Sharpshooter! And Dax gets one on Yuta!! A sharpshooter staredown between both guys, and they slap each other while keeping the hold locked in! They both let go and trade forearms now. Things break down as we get all four men going at it, with Yuta heading to the floor with Dax, sending him into the barricade. Claudio and Cash follow suit with an uppercut against the barricade. Back inside, Castagnoli and Yuta work over Dax and hit a Hart Attack! 1, 2, no. Yuta locks in a single leg crab in the center of the ring. Claudio in, moonsault! But he misses as Dax rolls out of the way. Dax up top, uppercut cuts him off, Castagnoli meets him up there and they trade shots until Claudio hits a gutwrench suplex off the top! 1, 2, NO.
Claudio to the apron, fights off both members of FTR. Yuta in with a leapfrog attack. Dax gets a rollup for 2, this is going fast and hard now! Desperation spinebuster from Dax on Claudio. Both guys back to the top rope, Cash is poised….POWER AND THE GLORY…but Yuta dives in too with a splash to Dax, and all four men are down! A-E-DUB chants galore!
Shatter Machine attempt is blocked, Claudio immediately grabs Cash into the Giant Swing! Yuta with the dropkick, 1, 2, saved by Dax! Yuta is tossed to the outside but Claudio boots Dax to the outside too. Small package by Cash, 1, 2, no. Claudio with a body slam for 2. Neutralizer attempt, no, SHATTER MACHINE! 1, 2, YUTA SHOVES DAX into the pinfall to break it up! Cash gets a Sharpshooter on Castagnoli….but Claudio turns it around into one of his own, daaaamn! Dax gets Yuta into another one again, flipping off Claudio. Castagnoli with the Neutralizer on Dax! Misses it on Cash though, and Cash with a piledriver!! 1, 2, NO. Claudio with an uppercut in the corner on Cash, superplexes him in. Neturalizer on Cash! 1, 2, NO!! Straight into the crossface! Time is ticking down. Into the Rings of Saturn! But the bell rings, time limit has expired!
Winners: TIME LIMIT DRAW.
Time: 20:00
Rating: ***3/4 – Hell yes, this is exactly what we wanted from our Saturday night. They straight up cooked for 20 minutes.
Cash and Dax grab the mic. Dax wants 5 more minutes. The ref is about to call for the bell…but Brandon Cutler appears. He’s here on behalf of the EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, who sent him the contract to this match which says 20 minutes. It clearly says 20, not 25, not 30. Claudio grabs Cutler and gives him a Giant Swing to stick it to him. Claudio then flips Brandon Cutler straight into a Shatter Machine from FTR!! Nice. I don’t get why the EVPs wouldn’t want their TV product to continue with a great match, but there we go.
Claudio on the mic and says he won’t shake FTR’s hand as that’s too cliched, but anytime they want a rematch, anywhere, they’re on.
Backstage, Lexy Nair is with Kyle O’Reilly. Kyle gets why Orange is the MVP of AEW…but here comes Roddy Strong to interrupt. Strong says he’s looked good since he returned…but not great. One step forward, two steps back. It’s like something is missing for him. Strong says he’ll be rooting for him in the main event. Strong has beaten Orange twice, so if he needs advice, he’s your man. Strong says remember what Kyle told him when he came back.
Stokely Hathaway tells the crowd to get on their feet for ‘Staturday Night’. Amazing.
Match Two: Kris Statlander vs Robyn Renegade
Statlander drives Renegade into the corner with a big shoulder thrust. Stat grabs Robyn up in a powerbomb but Renegade battles out of it. Nope, Stat gets her back up, sitout powerbomb connects. Saturday Night Fever gets the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Time: 1:35
Rating: N/R – Exactly what it needed to be for this new lease of life for Statlander.
Hathaway on the mic says Statlander is an inspiration, his muse, the reason he gets up in the morning. He wishes he had the strength of Kris Statlander, the speed of Kris Statlander, the intensity of Kris Statlander, and the ability to decimate an entire division like Kris Statlander. Hathaway had a conversation with Tony Khan and they were on the same page. Kris Statlander is the past present and future of AEW, and she is going to make history as the first woman to win the TBS championship and World Women’s championship. How? She is the first entrant in the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Cup. She will win, she’ll go on to Wembley, and she will hold that championship up high. No one can stop her.
Back from commercial, Lexy Nair waits for Willow Nightingale. Lexy informs her that Statlander has entered the Owen Cup and wants her reaction. Willow says it’s only fair that she enters it too, and hopes to see Stat there. Lexy asks what she’s doing here tonight, and Willow says she’s just here to keep an eye on the action.
Match Three: ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes vs Johnny TV (w/ Taya Valykrie
Rhodes heads to the outside in the early goings to drape an arm around Taya. Johnny goes to check on her and receives a canonball off the apron! Taya distracts Rhodes, and Johnny dives through the ropes with a tornillo to take out Dustin. Taya stands over Dustin and kisses Johnny on the steel steps as we go to PIP.
Johnny goes to toss Dustin onto the apron, but Rhodes just rolls inside. Hammer and anvil elbows from JTV, forearm shot, and a running knee to the side of the head. More kisses with Taya. A few more kicks, and then they kiss again, until Dustin grabs the legs of Johnny and slingshots him into the ropes. Neckbreaker by Johnny gets a 2 and he follows up with a chinlock. Double clothesline as both men go down. Back to their feet, they slug it out until Johnny mocks Dustin doing the Goldust shtick and going for the stalling uppercut, but Dustin counters and hits the bulldog. Snap powerslam by Rhodes gets a 2. Johnny avoids the suplex and hits a Moonlight Drive, 1, 2, no. Spinebuster attempt by Johnny but Dustin grabs the ropes to prevent it…and he hits a Destroyer! Dustin spreads the legs of Johnny TV in the corner, Shattered Dreams! And the Cross Rhodes connects, 1, 2, Taya puts the foot on the ropes!
Taya goes to slap Dustin, he catches the hand…and the ref ejects Taya from the ringside area. Dustin climbs back into the ring but Johnny clips the rope, low blowing him. Superkick, 1, 2, no. Johnny lays in some forearms on the mat, hits a knee to the side of the head a couple of times, and goes for Starship Pain, MISSES! Running knee by Dustin, elevated Cross Rhodes gets the 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Dustin Rhodes
Time: 9:32
Rating: **3/4 – I appreciate the slight momentum given to Johnny TV, having him on Collision two weeks in a row, but I don’t enjoy the gimmick with all the attention thrown on Taya. Still, the closing portion of the match was pretty decent.
Dustin Rhodes grabs the mic and says he’s getting old. The crowd chant ‘You still got it’ in response. Rhodes says he has two things to talk about tonight. First, the fans. They have never abandoned him, so thank you for accepting him. Rhodes wants to thank everyone in the back, as well as the camera men, the best in the business. The second thing, and this really pisses him off…he wants to talk about the Scapegoat Jack Perry. Dustin says they missed him when he left, and they were happy to see him when he returned, until he attacked their boss. The man who ultimately gave him a second chance. Perry disgusts him. Jack’s been talking about sacrifice, well let him tell you something boy. Perry was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he hasn’t worked a day in his life. Sacrifice is losing your job, they hand you a watch, a computer can do your job, so you get two jobs for even less. Rhodes sacrificed for his family for over 30 years. Put simply, Jack Perry ain’t sacrificed shit. When Rhodes met him as a little boy he thought he was a cute kid but now he knows he’s a spoilt kid. He’s a follower, not a leader. Perry and Dustin have a match this Wednesday on Dynamite…and Rhodes says he’s going to destroy his little punk ass. Perry can’t beat him fair and square. Perry will never forget the name The Natural Dustin Rhodes. Yeah that was a NICE promo from Dustin, and makes the Wednesday match seem like a bigger deal when it easily could have been a throwaway addition to the card. Good stuff.
Back from commercial, and we get a hype video for Zack Sabre Jr! Zack says we’re fast approaching the ‘naughty door’ and he has unfinished business. Freshly Squeezed Orange Bollocks, Zack is coming for you! ZSJ vs Orange Cassidy for Forbidden Door, that suits me.
Match Four: The Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari) vs Trip Jordy & ?
Daivari and Nese jump the jobbers as they’re being introduced. Nese with the Pumphandle Michinoku Driver on Jordy for the 1, 2, 3.
Winners: The Premier Athletes
Time: 0:42
Rating: N/R – Well, that was a minute of TV time.
Scorpio Sky backstage video! All of the AEW heroes have fallen. Sky says now is the time to come together. They can reach the stars, and he will be your hero, your voice, and eventually your champion. He’s here for you.
Match Five: ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm (w/ Mariah May & Luther) vs Lady Frost
Arm drag by Storm to begin. Storm goes for another, Frost cartwheels out of it. Frost and Storm attempt to get wrist control. Storm off the ropes, Frost tells her to Freeze! And Storm pauses for a closeup, haha. Frost to the apron and a moonsault to take out Storm on the floor. Mariah and Frost trade barbs while Luther picks up Storm and brings her back to the ring. Frost with chops in the corner, until Storm retaliates with some of her own.
Hip attack by Storm to a seated Frost. Sidewalk backbreaker connects, and Storm then traps the arms, driving a knee into the back. Full Nelson by the champion, who then takes a run up in the corner, misses a hip attack, Frost misses a canonball, and Toni gets the hip attack on a second attempt. 1, 2, no. Go behind from Frost, victory roll, 1, 2, no. Thrust kick by Frost, Chiller Driller, 1, 2, no. Back cracker in the corner connects for Storm, but Frost with a jackknife for 2. Sky High gets a 2 for Storm. Another Chiller Driller attempt, but Storm rolls straight into a Storm Zero for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Timeless Toni Storm
Time: 7:45
Rating: *** – Good showing from both women. It slightly devolved into just trading big moves and pinfall attempts in the closing stretch, but this worked for a TV match.
Toni Storm sits on the apron with Mariah May, and says she realises May has been having a tough time. In a few weeks, Storm will be facing her friend Mina Shirakawa, but Storm loves May and she is so proud of her. Storm will look out for May. As AEW Women’s champion, she is demanding that Mariah May is entered into the Owen Hart tournament. Storm will be there for her every step of the way. No matter what happens, remember, chin up, tits out, and watch for the shoe!
Lexy Nair speaks to Dante Martin and Lee Moriarty, who will be facing next week on Collision in a TNT Title Qualifying match. Lee and Martin reflect on their history together, but Shane Taylor says that’s all in the past. Lee is running with the baddest team, and says that Martin and those guys are just glorified stuntmen. They’ll see next week if Dante can really rumble.
Samoa Joe and Hook are wandering the halls backstage. Joe opens the dressing room of the Premier Athletes and attacks them in their own locker room.
Match Six: Daniel Garcia vs Tate Mayfairs
Mayfairs gets the jobber treatment with no entrance. Garcia with a go behind and sits on top of Mayfairs, showing dominance. Mayfairs tries to flip out of some arm control, but Garcia keeps him locked down. Mayfairs poses in the corner, gets a little cocky and Garcia comes running out of the corner with a big clothesline. A back elbow follows up, but Garcia gets sent head first into the middle buckle. Mayfairs with mounted punches and then he tries to mock the Garcia dance but Garcia cuts him off early. Inside leg hook, Mayfairs looking for a suplex but Garcia reverses into a series of swinging neckbreakers. Boot to the face from Mayfairs, but an exploder connects for Garcia.
Garcia dances, hits the John Woo dropkick in the corner, and hits the Red Cross for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Daniel Garcia
Time: 3:18
Rating: N/R – Garcia is racking up some dominant wins which bodes well for his push. I expected Mayfairs to get a little more in as he’s a notable name on the scene in Progress Wrestling.
Garcia dances on the barricade post-match.
Signed for Dynamite, Mercedes Mone vs Zeuxis from CMLL. We also have TV Time with Chris Jericho and Private Party. Dustin Rhodes vs Jack Perry is official, and Rush will be in action too…plus Will Ospreay vs Rey Fenix! Nice!
Next week is the 1 Year Anniversary of Collision, as we hear from Christian Cage in a Father’s Day Address, the House of Black return, and we get a No DQ match between Purrazzo and Thunder Rosa.
Lexy Nair is with Orange Cassidy, who has had a lot on his mind. We saw the video from ZSJ, and Orange says all of his friends are gone. For two years everybody wanted to team with him, but now everyone’s gone, no one wants to know. Cassidy has to wrestle O’Reilly tonight and he can’t believe it, he can’t be here right now. Cassidy walks off.
Match Seven: Orange Cassidy vs Kyle O’Reilly
I enjoyed their exchanges on Dynamite this past week, so this should be good. Of note, the Undisputed Kingdom are watching at ringside. Kyle lays on the mat, asking for Orange to make the first move, putting his BJJ skills to use. Monkey flip by Orange, but Kyle gets a guillotine choke, forcing OC to get the ropes. Crucifix pinfall exchanges from both guys, neither man getting the advantage. Leg scissor by O’Reilly, again forcing Cassidy to grab the ropes. OC heads to the floor as we head to PIP.
Back in the ring, headscissors applied by Kyle, OC escapes. He goes to put the hands in the pockets, but O’Reilly grabs the arm and locks in an armbar. OC reverses into a hammerlock, fireman’s carry takeover for 1. They look for suplexes but neither man can get the advantage. Stundog Millionaire countered into a reverse choke. O’Reilly looks for a Kimura, Cassidy tries to get his hands in the pockets again, but Kyle traps him in an underhook so he can’t get the hands in. OC manages to make some distance, and he gets the hands in finally! Leg sweep by Kyle though after a flurry of offense from Cassidy. Arm wringer by Kyle, and one over the top rope. Dragon screw in the ropes to follow up! O’Reilly smashes the back of the leg across the apron. Strong is nearby and whispers something in the ear of O’Reilly, but Cassidy is back up. O’Reilly dragon screws Cassidy into the barricade before sending him back in the ring.
O’Reilly gets the other leg in the ring now and dragon screws that one, targeting both legs to keep Cassidy grounded. He wraps one knee over the bottom rope and stomps on it. Headbutt connects for KOR, and he mocks Cassidy putting the hands in the pockets, before stomping the hands. Back to the floor, Kyle targets the legs with various kicks and strikes before bringing OC back inside. Quick rollup by Cassidy though, 1, 2, no.
O’Reilly continues to kick OC in the chest and arms but OC fires up! Kick to the arm and an arm wringer of his own. Kyle spills to the floor, suicide dive from OC connects. Cassidy up top for the crossbody, Kyle rolls through into a wristlock but OC counters into a pin, 1, 2, no. Thrust kick caught, snap German connects for O’Reilly but OC gets one of his own. Another from Kyle. Another from Cassidy. They get to their feet…but both fall down, exhausted. When they get back to their feet, they both do some Sloth Style kicks until it turns into ‘real’ kicks from both guys.
Kyle gets an ankle lock, but a rising knee connects for OC and he gets a Falcon Arrow for 2! Roaring elbow by O’Reilly, OC with a PK though. Orange Punch time, no he misses, Kyle gets the armbar, puts his own hand in OC’s pocket to prevent Orange from doing so, using the leverage. Rear naked choke applied but Cassidy knees his way out, BEACH BREAK! 1, 2, NO.
Axe kick by O’Reilly, Orange Punch knocks O’Reilly into the ropes, rebound lariat attempt, NO Orange catches him with another Orange Punch! 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Time: 19:31
Rating: ***1/2 – Methodical, technical stuff for the majority of this one, although something felt ever so slightly off in terms of the heat you’d expect from a main event. Loved Kyle ‘blocking the block’ by putting his hands in Cassidy’s pockets, that was neat.
From behind, Trent Beretta attacks Cassidy! Along with Kyle Fletcher. Kyle O’Reilly returns to the ring to help out, but Trent takes him out too. Gogoplata on Cassidy by Beretta. Kris Statlander runs down! And she shakes hands with Trent. Stat picks OC up by the hair…but here comes Willow Nightingale!
Willow runs down and chases Statlander off. Willow checks on Cassidy. Willow, O’Reilly and Cassidy stand tall as we go off the air. Good night everybody!
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